Episode 251: The True Story of Captain Phillips

In April of 2009 four Somali pirates boarded the Maersk Alabama, a US/Danish cargo ship off the coast of Africa, a notorious piracy hotspot. The crew aboard the Alabama did everything they could to keep the pirates from gaining control of the ship, however the pirates still held multiple crew members hostage, including Captain Richard Phillips. After chief engineer, Mike Perry, managed to capture one of the pirates, the crew attempted to negotiate an exchange of hostages. However the failed attempt led to Captain Phillips being held on a lifeboat with the pirates, who demanded a $2 million ransom for his release. The captain's capture resulted in a standoff between the pirates and the US Navy, including Navy SEAL Team Six.